The debrief: twenty minutes that matter

The activity creates a shared experience. The debrief turns it into something people use at work. Without one, even an excellent session tends to fade into "that fun afternoon".

Keep it short and structured

Twenty to thirty minutes is usually enough. Sit in a circle or small groups, away from the noise of the activity area, and use three simple questions:

  1. What happened? Let people describe the activity in their own words.
  2. What did we notice? Look for patterns in how the team communicated and decided.
  3. What will we do differently at work? Agree one or two specific changes.

Let the team do the talking

The facilitator or manager asks questions and summarises, but the insights should come from participants. People commit to what they say themselves far more than to what they are told.

Record the commitments

Write the agreed changes down and share them within a day or two. Put them somewhere visible, such as the top of a regular meeting agenda, and check progress after a few weeks.

A simple test: if nobody can name one thing the team agreed to change, the session was entertainment rather than development. Both are fine, but know which one you planned.

Further workplace learning resources are available from SkillsFuture Singapore.